Our research focused on worker exposures from methylene chloride during the process of stripping the old paint off of the tub prior to refinishing. This post was helpful to me too. Not sure if it can come through the walls. We have had a terrible experience. I am older with heart disease and lung disease. Brooklyn resident Emily Gilbert had her familys tub and part of the bathroom wall reglazed four-and-a-half years ago (, Moving to NYC after college? refinish or reglaze it or just replace it altogether. My head and stomach hurts, and I have a bad taste in my mouth. Follow all applicable OSHA standards, including the Methylene Chloride standard (. We need to know what all are used while doing refinishing. Sometimes, you may need to refinish your bathtub which requires chemical coating with special kind of brush or roller to an acrylic, porcelain, fiberglass, or cultured marble bathtub. Earlier this week NIOSH and OSHA released a joint Hazard Alert titled Methylene Chloride Hazards for Bathtub Refinishers. We had one bathtub redone in our old house a few years ago but I think they just re-coated it. Products with these types of known harmful ingredients must require special labeling with clearer health and safety warnings for users. We have for years been trying to come up with a Stripper that will remove Epoxy DIY kits that do not have the Methylene Chloride but time is an issue. So, it should not present a long-term hazard to the resident and pets after the project is completed. The Perfect Drying Conditions You should let the tub surface to cure for 24 to 48 hours. Methylene chlorides boiling point is just over 100 F, and has a vapor pressure of 350 mmHg. We are sorry to hear about your health issues. These comments do not represent the official views of CDC, and CDC does not guarantee that any My apartment complex refinished nicks in tub. Saving Lives, Protecting People, Methylene Chloride Hazards for Bathtub Refinishers, http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/Pubs/#General, http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA, http://retrorenovation.com/2016/05/02/understanding-potential-lead-hazards-old-porcelain-enamel-bathtubs-sinks-ceramic-tile-any-age/#ixzz47UvHcM00, https://www.publicintegrity.org/2015/09/21/17991/common-solvent-keeps-killing-workers-consumers, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/isocyanates/default.html, http://jwcpropertyservices.co.uk/bathtub-refinishing-dangers/, https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/indoor-air-quality-apartments, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. If you are concerned about the smells, you could seek help from your local health department. The Health and Safety Executive is our policing force that helps prevent the tragic consequences of injuries and even fatalities in the workplace. OSHAs Methylene Chloride standard (29 CFR 1910.1052) requires employers to test the air to determine the concentration of methylene chloride present in the air when a product containing methylene chloride is used (29 CFR 1910.1052(d)). Good to see so much effort going into bringing awareness to bathtub refinishing in Waltham. At least 14 workers have died since 2000 as a result of using stripping agents containing methylene chloride during bathtub refinishing. Dangers of Bathtub Refinishing | Blogs | CDC I have blocked the drain over night but it did not eliminate the smell. I went outside after he was finished. When is the best time of year to buy or sell a NYC apartment? White advises keeping away fromcleansers likebleach oreven Soft Scrub. Anyone who is curious to try alternatives to MC-based strippers are encouraged to read these small business success stories. We face inspections every year where lots of tubs are refinished in this building.but no precautions are ever taken to protect the residents and their animals. ARE THESE REGLAZED TUBS DANGEROUS AFTER THE PROCESS DRIES? Tub reglazing: What you need to know about this affordable but stinky Reglazing involves stripping off the previous coating and sanding down the tub. 22 oz. DIY Bathtub Refinish Kit with SlipGuard in White After an hour again, I decided to take a ride to feel fresh air. But if we get together as a group of experienced bathtub refinishers I am positive that we can come up with a simple solution that will keep us safe. Perfect for renters, apartment dwellers, and residential or commercial tubs, sinks, showers. Seek medical attention for treatment and evaluation. Not worth it. Hello. We tried to open our window a bit. I think this type of finish should be banned. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. Some refinishing products may last longer than others, as with professional-grade finishers and DIY kits. I thought it would be a simple spray paint job. Wow this is kinda hard to believe that even a thing such as messing with a bathtub can be so dangerous. I dont think I had the right mask on. Im positing now with the hope it may influence one decision. Extraction during the process is everything. Every 10 minutes or so I would have to leave and go outside because my eyes burning so bad. My friend was left to work alone in the small enclosed space, with out supervision. Ive read some incredible information in this article. Enter a zip below and get matched to top-rated pros near you. I also worry about the health of those doing this kind of work. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. If the vapor smell continues and is persistent you should call a safety and health professional to evaluate the area. It's a multi-step process that involves cleaning the tub thoroughly and sanding it to remove any soap scum or other particles, and repairing cracks or worn areasall of these imperfections will affect the quality and durability of the final finishing coat. If the job is not done right it starts to peel, he says. What separates a good job from a not-so-good job is not so much how it looks, its the prep. This post is so informative and makes a very nice image on the topic in my mind. Thank for speaking about about tub refinishing. The two maintenance men pulled the man off of the tub. I think this post was very helpful in knowing the bad effects of such dangerous products. share Share. It is often referred to as dichloromethane and has many industrial uses, such as paint stripping, metal cleaning, and degreasing. There are alternatives to using methylene chloride (MC) for bathtub stripping. We'll put an entirely new finish over the existing tub or tile in your bathroom. print Print. Brick Underground articles occasionally include the expertise of, or information about, advertising partners when relevant to the story. Thank for sharing about bathtub refinishing. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I figure if its being done, it must be safe, or why else would people do it? /box. Bathroom fans or open windows do not provide adequate ventilation. This may be an ignorant comment, so please accept my apology preemptively if so. Its better not to use methylene chloride for the safety of everybody. Consult the OSHA/NIOSH Hazard Alert for specific information regarding engineering controls, exposure levels and air monitoring, personal protective equipment, worker training and medical surveillance. Ron, ive found a majority of the time the diy kits people use never adhere well. Is Bathtub Refinishing Safe? | Tub Reglazing Fumes & Safety - Angi Posts: 19. It is a less costly alternative to replacing a bathtub; however, the process often involves the use of hazardous chemicals including methylene chloride, acids, and isocyanates. However, we have no information about the risks that might arise to the resident from exposure to the flaking surface of the refinished tub. This research only focused on worker methylene chloride exposures during bathtub refinishing. Technicians have been properly trained to do this type of work. You must ventilate your workspace to minimize tub reglazing fumes. I went to clean out the tub to take another shower myself and by just barely cleaning it a whole bunch of paint came off, like over a foot and I was just barely scrubbing! All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. So, it should not present a long-term hazard to the residents after the project. Hello How to effectively get rid of bathtub resurface smell in my apartment The fumes are stronger fumes so we do not allow anyone to be in the apartment for 8 hours. We had maintenance workers come by and resurface it earlier this week, but they did not properly ventilate the chemical smell and the stench is still there. She her nextwalked over to-door neighbor's apartment, where a team weari ng respirators was refinishi ng the bathroom with a spray-on resurfacing material and a chemical accelerator. This seems informative and makes a very nice image on the topic in my mind. Thorough prep and and cleaning can preventbig headaches down the road. I would concenr it to home owners wanting to get bathtub resurfacing done. Methylene chloride, a chlorinated solvent, is a volatile, colorless liquid with a sweet-smelling odor. If you have a tub that has seen better days, but you dont want to remove and replace it completely, then you may need to have it reglazed or refinished to restore it to its original state. I have no shower, only this bath and no space for one. Its the very first time I call at your blog, however was very impressed. I just bought this old house that has this beautiful tub if only it can get restored back to new. Is it dangerous to any or all of us? $ 89 00. We can avoid being harmed if we will be knowledgeable about things. Migraine, dizzy, shortness of breath. Its in our best interest to devise a way to remove these coatings without harming ourselves or the environment. http://retrorenovation.com/2016/05/02/understanding-potential-lead-hazards-old-porcelain-enamel-bathtubs-sinks-ceramic-tile-any-age/#ixzz47UvHcM00. Surface Designers have been in business for over 20 years resurfacing bathtubs and countertops. They yellow like crazy, and they are solvent based, slow drying so they off gas, and they never hold up. Acid is then applied to deglaze the tub and/or tile, followed by a bonding agent or primer, and finally, a urethane topcoat is applied. Even with treatment, lead poisoning can permanently affect a childs development. I wish they warned me and Id have had means to stay out of house for a few days. Thanks for telling us now. For consumer-related questions after the tub has been refurbished, please contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Always check product labels and safety data sheets to understand the recommended and required precautions. Unless you have access to all the necessary protective clothing and equipment and are confident in your bathrooms ventilation system as well as your DIY capabilities, you should hire a professional to handle it. We use a spray-on compound that hardens to a polished and durable, like-new finish. Alternative products and processes exist for bathtub refinishing. She enjoyed improving discarded furniture, then selling it it was like art to her. I asked the doctors if they collect lifestyle information and report it to the government so correlations can be made about cause and effect they said no. I am not an overly caution person, but I understand that in certain instances it is important to exercise caution. Long story short, today my face is red as a tomato and I feel very unsettled and almost as if i drank 3 beer. From now we must be aware if wanna to do that. The standard also sets a 12.5 ppm action level (AL) which triggers periodic monitoring and medical surveillance provisions. [MI, USA] Botched reglazing of apartment bathtub results in one cat Thank you so much for this great article and hope that others now are aware of the safety measures that need to be followed. My cat and I were both really sick afterwards and my cat has now passed on.no one told us to go anywhere else, my cat was unable to be transported anyway and so was I since Im handicapped.